


New Beginnings

by Comicsohwhyohwhy



Category: Marvel, Marvel (Comics), Marvel 616
Genre: Fluff, Friendship, Gen, Invincible Iron Man, Tony and Jane are the cutest, but this is still really happy, they are also both sadder than I had expected
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-10
Updated: 2015-10-10
Packaged: 2018-04-25 16:01:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,226
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4967260
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Comicsohwhyohwhy/pseuds/Comicsohwhyohwhy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jane is Thor now, and Tony has to get used to the idea. But fighting monsters and getting help on a date are a sure way of becoming friends.</p>
            </blockquote>





	New Beginnings

**Author's Note:**

  * For [iloome (laireshi)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/laireshi/gifts).



> Inspired by  
> [those adorable panels](http://comicsohwhyohwhy.tumblr.com/post/130678334033/tony-being-an-adorable-dork-on-his-date-in) from _Invincible Iron Man_ 1\. Just some slightly angsty fluff about Jane and Tony becoming friends.

Tony licks his lips nervously. He can see Jane, sitting at the table in Avenger’s mansion, bent low over a bowl of cereal. Or rather, he can see her back and the hammer nonchalantly deposited on the table next to her, because he can’t seem to get himself to make a step into the kitchen. It’s early in the morning – no one else is at the mansion yet.

There’s a buzz in his head and everything feels wrong – a Thor sitting at a table in a house he has given the Avengers is so very familiar, and yet it isn’t. This time round, the prince of Asgard has gone God-knows-where and Tony doesn’t have the money to pay for Avengers’ tower anymore. Not to speak of the line-up the new team has… ( _This will never feel right without Steve_ , a treacherous voice in his head whispers.)

There’s no denying it: Tony doesn’t know how to talk to that Thor. Sure, he has met Jane before, but they have hardly spoken – and certainly not as equals, as members of a team meant to work together. He prided himself in calling… former Thor his friend – he cannot claim the same of Jane.

Tony is still pondering the best course of action when suddenly, the alarm goes off. He jumps and practically stumbles into the room at the red lights flaring up all around the hallway. Jane flinches violently and turns just in time to see him bump into her chair.

Tony gives her an apologetic smile, but she doesn’t even seem to pay attention. She has grabbed a tablet laying on the table and is typing into it furiously.

Again, Tony can’t help but notice how very _different_ to Thor she is. _She is Thor now, better start thinking of her that way_ , a little voice in his head adds, and there’s a twinge of something he can only identify as remorse in his chest.

Jane figures out what is going on in no time. She looks up at Tony sharply. “There’s a disturbance in Central Park. We have to leave now.”

Tony sighs. “A disturbance? What, have aliens landed there?”

She gives him a displeased look. “See for yourself….”

***

When they come back about two hours later, they are both covered in slime and making similarly disgruntled faces. _Being covered in slime will do that to you_ , Tony thinks sourly. When he extends his finger to pass the security tests for Avenger’s mansion there is green goo drooping from it. _Lovely_.

Without a word to him, Jane disappears in the direction of her quarters. Tony wastes no time and jumps under his own shower.

The hot water running down his sore back soothes him in a matter of minutes. With a sigh of contentment, Tony grabs a soft towel to rub himself dry.

He catches a look at his own face in the mirror, the plushy towel covering its lower half. Tony has to admit he looks somewhat underslept and underfed – he should probably try and make up for that. With a little yawn he slips on comfortable clothes and heads in the direction of the kitchen.

The moment he can see into the room he realises Jane is already there, setting up coffee, out of her Thor-attire and looking more fragile than Tony had expected. _Thor never only took so little time in the shower_ , Tony thinks.

When she sees him, Jane smiles and holds up the coffee pot. “Want some?”

Tony gives her a grateful look. “Yeah, sure.”

Tony flops down in a chair opposite Jane. When the cup is put in front of him, he spends a moment just breathing in the familiar smell. Nothing like a cup of coffee in the morning – or almost at noon, now.

None of the others have turned up yet, Sam is busy dealing with some governmental business because the mantle of Cap comes with responsibilities no matter who carries it, Vision wasn’t reachable, no one knows what he is up to, and the kids… Well, the kids are in school.

Tony cards a hand through his hair wearily thinking about his life choices. He is on a team where half the members are _still in school_. A groan escapes his mouth.

“What’s up?” Jane asks, almost hidden behind her huge cup of coffee. _The same one Thor always used to take_ , Tony thinks with a bang.

“Well, I was just wondering why on earth we had to handle those… slimy things ourselves. Usually there were always other people to at least help handle things when they got really slimy.” There’s a whine in his voice that Tony didn’t really see coming.

Jane just shoots him a grin. “Don’t you think we handled those things just fine ourselves?”

“Well, yes, sure, but…” Tony pauses to look at her again because something occurs to him. And sure enough, he sees a little hint of insecurity around her eyes, as if she were waiting for his approval.

_Of course, she’s still a brand new Avenger_ , Tony thinks, _how could I have been that insensitive_.

He looks Jane in the eyes and smiles. “You were great out there.”

And that was completely true – Tony thinks back to Jane zig-zagging through the air like a dervish, hitting gooey monster after gooey monster, and, in one memorable moment, catching Tony when he was caught off guard and his flight systems partially collapsed under the load of slime they were bombarded with.

Thor catching him – that had almost felt like old times, Tony thinks longingly.

He can see the skin around Jane’s eyes crinkle as she undoubtedly smiles behind her cup. “You weren’t too bad yourself, Tony.”

Something warm flutters in Tony’s chest. _Well, it’s now or never_ …

“Listen, I don’t know if I am stepping out of line, but there’s something I’d like to ask you.”

Jane frowns. “Go ahead?”

Tony opens his mouth, but no sound comes out. _Get it together, Stark_ , he thinks angrily.

“I… I am meeting with this woman tonight.” The smile still playing around Jane’s lips turns into a grin.

“And?”

“And… I like her. She’s great. I’d like her to have a great time on our date.” Tony swallows.

“Well then, just turn on your trademark Stark-charm, I’m sure you’ll be fine?” Jane looks a little nonplussed. “Or… wait… Do you want advice on women from me because I am a woman?!”

Tony holds up his hands and grimaces. “No, no, not at all! I’d just like… I’d like you to drop by.”

Jane stares at him.

Tony wets his lips. “Look, I know I have no right to ask you that, what with me not even properly funding this team anymore, but…”

Jane interrupts him. “And me turning up would improve the quality of this romantic date how exactly?”

Now it is Tony’s turn to stare. “Well, you are _Thor_ , you know… You are an awesome, strong woman, and…”

“And you don’t think she’d like to simply spend time with you?” Jane’s facial expression is unreadable now, not utterly surprised anymore, but not entirely happy, either.

Tony laughs. “Well, I think you turning up would add a little something, you know. Not everyone can offer her the opportunity to meet a Goddess.”

Jane looks at him silently for a few more seconds, then she shakes her head slowly. Tony swallows, preparing himself for her saying no.

“You are ridiculous. There’s a lot of things I expected Tony Stark to be, but insecure as hell isn’t one of them.”

Tony protests. “I am not insecure. I simply think… You…”

Jane snorts. “You are such a dweeb, Tony…”

Tony gives Jane a grin that he is almost certain perfectly hides how scared he is right now that she will reject him. “Is that a yes…?”

Jane considers him for a moment, but then her lips quirk upwards in a genuine smile. “Of course it is. You dweeb. But first things first…” Jane cocks one eyebrow. “I advise you to get cleaned up a bit more thoroughly before meeting the lady. I mean, you look dashing and all, but…”

She raises her hand and gently swipes it across a patch of hair behind his right ear. When she holds it up in front of his eyes, there’s green goo all over it and Tony can’t stop himself from grimacing.

***

After Amara has left and after one rather strange encounter with Doom, Tony lands on the roof of Avenger’s mansion, feeling weary to the bone. All of this was him failing – Amara thinking he was a worthless pile of shit with women, Doom trying to lure him into working for or with him, he isn’t even sure…

All Tony wants is yet another hot shower and then maybe a game of poker with the Avengers.

Except there are almost no Avengers. No doubt the mansion will be empty. Sam tends to hang out in his own apartment after sundown, with his own life, Vision is certainly still dealing with his own problems that Tony hasn’t figured out yet, and the kids… The kids are heading back to their families or guardians or whatever is left of them whenever a mission is completed. Tony lets his head hang for a second before pushing open the door and letting the armour disappear into his watch.

He is about to head to the stairs when he sees light coming out of the kitchen. Tony cautiously approaches.

Jane is sitting at the table, a set of cards and a big beer in front of her. She looks weary and Tony realises with a pang that her illness must be taking its toll on her whenever she is not suited up. And to think that he added to the stress with having her turn up for nothing at his date tonight…

Tony quietly raps on the door to make Jane notice he’s there. She starts a little, but her face lights up when she sees who is standing in the door. “Hey, you.”

“Hey, you. Fancy actually playing against someone?” Tony steps into the kitchen, all thought of a shower momentarily forgotten.

Jane smiles. “Why not. But I mostly want you to satisfy my curiosity: how did the date go? And why on _earth_ did you not want me to come after all?”

Tony fills a glass with water at the sink and raises it to Jane.

“Well, she wanted me to stop trying to impress her and just… be me.” He grimaces. “I don’t really know what that means. But I take it that it means not bringing in other people who are cooler than me on our date.”

Jane sighs and takes a generous sip of her beer (maybe being Thor also comes with heightened alcohol resistance, Tony thinks). She puts it back on the table with a loud clank and wipes her mouth with her hand.

“Tony, at times you really don’t know how to behave around people, do you.”

Tony raises one eyebrow. “Says the woman sitting all by herself in our kitchen on a Saturday night playing cards against no one.”

Jane sighs, and she sounds wearier than she should after what Tony perceived as a light-hearted joke. “There was no one else around to spend time with.”

There’s a sadness in her voice that makes something in Tony’s chest tighten. He thinks back to what it felt like, back when the Avengers had just started and everything was yet to become clear and stable.

“Maybe we should organise some team activities, what do you think?” Tony ventures uncertainly.

Jane sighs again. “It’s nice of you to say that. But it’s just… We are a team now, but I don’t… I don’t feel we really are. Half of our members need parenting, not friendship, the other half is almost never there, and…”

Jane looks up at Tony and he sees that her eyes are shining. _Oh no_.

“Look, I know all you see is that I am… not him. Whenever you look at me.”

Tony shakes his head, almost desperately. “That is not true.”

Jane casts her eyes down to the set of cards before her. Slowly, she extends a hand and moves one card to the side. “Of course it is.”

Tony takes a step forwards and puts a hand on Jane’s shoulder. She looks up at him, clearly surprised. Tony takes a deep breath.

“I… This was strange at first, I’ll admit it. But Jane – not only did you do a great job fighting today, backing me up and making me feel safe… You also agreed to help me, immediately, with a personal thing. It – meant a lot to me.” Something uncoils in Tony’s chest when he realises he is being absolutely sincere.

_She is Thor now_ , Tony thinks. There’s a little spark of joy in his chest.

After a moment of silence, Jane puts her own hand over his.

Tony gives her a little smile, and the one he gets in return seems to be full of genuine affection.

They stay like that for a moment, and then Tony clears his throat, withdraws his hand and sits down opposite Jane. “So, you really sure you want to test your luck against a genius?”

Jane raises a challenging eyebrow, eyes sparkling. “You bet.”

And suddenly, everything feels right.

 


End file.
